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Marion, Old Fort voters go to polls Tuesday

By Mike Conley | The McDowell News

Published: November 1, 2009

On Tuesday, voters in Marion and Old Fort will elect their leaders.
The polls will open at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday and stay open until 7:30 p.m. In Marion, voters can cast their ballots at the Community Building at 191 N. Main St. Old Fort residents can vote at the town's library branch at 65 E. Mitchell St.
The one-stop early voting period ended at 1 p.m. Saturday. As of 3:15 p.m. Thursday, 98 people had voted early in the Marion and Old Fort elections.
In Marion, the office of mayor is up for election. Steve Little, 58, a Marion attorney who has previously been a member of the City Council and mayor pro tem, is now seeking the mayor's office. Cliff McLarty, 54, a local real estate and business developer, is also running for mayor. Randy Williams, 51 and a member of the School Board and real estate broker, is the third candidate for mayor of Marion.
Three seats on the Marion City Council are up for grabs this year. Everette Clark, 68, who has been the city's mayor since 1985, is now running for a seat on the City Council. Incumbent Lloyd Cuthbertson, 63, the safe and drug free schools coordinator and dropout prevention coordinator for the school system, is running for another term on the City Council. Mike Edwards, 49, a Marion attorney, is also running for re-election.
Three political newcomers are vying for the City Council seats. Juanita Doggett, 58 years old and the director of industry training for McDowell Technical Community College, is making her first attempt at elected office by running for the City Council. Mark Revis, 43, an unemployed maintenance technician, is also running for elected office for the first time. Gary Walker, 45 years old and a local insurance agent, is seeking one of the available council seats.
In Old Fort, the office of mayor is up for election. Incumbent Garland Norton, 57, who operates Family Pharmacy of Old Fort, is seeking another term as mayor. He faces opposition from challenger Phillip Steppe, 58, who is a local pastor.
Two seats on the Old Fort Board of Aldermen are up for grabs this year. Incumbents Pete Matthews and Wayne Stafford are seeking re-election. Matthews, 81, is retired while Stafford, 54, works as a meat buyer for Ingles Markets.
They face two challengers. Sue Gibbs, who is 67 and a registered health information technologist, is making her first attempt at seeking office by running for the Board of Aldermen. Charles Pyles, a 53-year-old businessman, is likewise seeking elected office for the first time in the alderman race.

For more information about the election, contact the McDowell County Board of Elections at 652-7121, ext. 342.